Chapter 118
Chapter 118:
Hannah examined the component. “Good catch, Davis. Flag it for replacement and add it to the shadow correction log.”
As she straightened, a wave of dizziness swept over her. Hannah gripped the edge of the table, waiting for it to pass. When was the last time she’d eaten? Slept? The days had begun to blur together.
A hand touched her shoulder gently. She turned to find Camille watching her with concern.
“You need rest,” Camille said quietly. “All of you do.”
Hannah shook her head. “We can’t stop now. Every hour counts.”
“I know.” Camille’s voice was firm but kind. “But I need your team functioning at their best. Four hours of sleep will make you more effective than twelve more hours of exhausted work.”
“But…”
“That’s an order, Ms. Zhao.” Camille’s tone softened. “The cots are set up in the conference room. Use them. Four hours. Then back to work.”
Hannah wanted to argue, but the logic was sound. They couldn’t afford mistakes. And mistakes were inevitable with this level of fatigue.
“Yes, Ms. Kane. Four hours.” She turned to the team. “Everyone, mandatory rest. Davis, set the alarm for six a.m.”
As the engineers filed out, Hannah found herself alone with Camille, who was studying the master diagram with its many red marks.
“We’ll make it,” Hannah said, trying to sound more confident than she felt. “We’ll catch everything they sabotaged.”
Camille nodded, but her expression remained troubled. “I believe you will. But I can’t help wondering…”
“What?”
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“What if this is exactly what they want?” Camille gestured to the busy workroom. “What if the sabotage we’ve discovered is just a distraction from something else they’re planning?”
The question sent a chill through Hannah’s already tired body. She hadn’t considered that possibility.
“Like what?” she asked.
“I don’t know.” Camille’s eyes focused on something distant. “But Rose has always been ten steps ahead. Always planning for contingencies. And her partner, Herod Preston… Victoria says he’s patient. Calculating.”
Hannah thought about the complexity of the sabotage they’d uncovered. The meticulous way safety systems had been compromised. The careful organization required to implement so many changes without detection.
“You think this might not be their real plan?” she asked, her throat suddenly dry.
“I think we can’t afford to assume we’ve discovered everything.” Camille turned to her, eyes hard with resolve. “Fix what we’ve found, Hannah. But keep looking deeper. And be prepared for something we haven’t anticipated.”
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